Wanderers are off to Wembley for the chance to win promotion after a heroic second-leg performance earned them a place in the League One play-off final, writes Pete Oliver.
A brilliant strike from super-sub Xavier Simons doubled Wanderers’ aggregate lead to set up a promotion shoot-out with Stockport County on Sunday-week.
But his sublime finish inside the last 10 minutes of normal time told only half the story as Steven Schumacher’s men stood firm to keep Bradford at bay in the face of a second-half onslaught.
A resolute back line limited City’s chances of levelling up the scores following Saturday night’s first-leg win for the Whites courtesy of another clean sheet.
But goalkeeper Jack Bonham still had to make two magnificent saves to keep his team in front, with the second coming just 68 seconds before Simons struck the winner.
Over the two legs – and after a commanding first 45-minute performance at a bouncing Valley Parade – it was no more than Wanderers deserved. But the grit they showed in getting the job done will now hopefully stand them in good stead to get past their North-West rivals and achieve their promotion dream.
Wanderers were unchanged from the first leg and looked to take the sting out of a vibrant home crowd with some direct football in the opening exchanges in which Ruben Rodrigues was a prominent figure at the start of an excellent first half from the former promotion winner.
When there was chance to take a touch Rodrigues released Amario Cozier-Duberry – whose goal in the home leg had given Wanderers lead to hold onto – to curl an effort wide before the play-maker tried to chip City keeper Sam Walker from the half-way line as the Whites looked to push the home side back.
Josh Sheehan should have made more of a free-kick chance from just outside the penalty area after Jordi Osei-Tutu had been up-ended but Wanderers could be pleased with their early work as they looked to deny City a route back into the tie.
And if either side looked like breaking the deadlock in the opening half it was Wanderers as they stretched Bradford’s back line a number of times without getting a clear sight of goal, Ethan Erhahon failing to pick out Ibby Cissoko or Mason Burstow from arguably the best opening after the Whites’ press again paid off.
Cissoko then saw a shot blocked following a brilliant run from the back from Eoin Toal, which sadly came at a cost as the Wanderers’ skipper picked up an injury which forced his withdrawal and replacement by Max Conway.
While Wanderers were re-grouping Jenson Metcalfe went close with a deflected effort which flew just wide but that was Bradford’s biggest threat as Wanderers reached the break half way to completing their mission.
Jenson was next to try his luck again two minutes after the re-start with an effort he skidded wide before Wanderers suffered their first moment of panic from a free-kick into the box from they struggled to deal with before City gave away a foul of their own.
That raised the decibels further in a sold-out stadium on a night of high stakes and high pressure which tested everyone as the contest approached the final half-hour and brought two further City substitutions as the hosts tried to find a levelling goal.
Wanderers responded with a double change of their own as Schumacher sent on Thierry Gale and Sam Dalby to try and win the initiative back but it needed a superb save from Bonham to keep the Whites’ noses in front as he touched a Max Power shot onto the bar and to safety.
With Bradford enjoying their best spell of the game, Tyreik Wright then sent a deflected effort onto the roof of the net as Wanderers desperately needed to retain possession for a spell to try and regain some measure of control as the clock ticked slowly down.
Bonham was suddenly a busy man and made another fantastic stop to keep out a header from Nick Powell before the follow-up that went into the net from Kayden Jackson was disallowed for off-side.
And within moments the tie swung dramatically further Wanderers’ way when they doubled their aggregate advantage with a brilliant break-away goal as three of the Whites’ substitutes combined.
John McAtee released Gale and although the winger’s first touch was heavy he retrieved the situation by pulling the ball back for Simons to ram home an emphatic first-time finish to claim only his second goal of the season after City had failed to clear the danger.
It was also Simons' first since November as patience paid off for the midfield man who – along with his heroic team-mates who refused to buckle at the other end – booked a place at Wembley for themselves and their jubilant fans who turned Valley Parade white and blue at the end of a memorable night which gives Schumacher's men one more hurdle to overcome.
Wanderers: Bonham; Osei-Tutu, Toal (Conway 43), Forino, Johnston; Sheehan, Erhahon (Simons 76); Cozier-Duberry, Rodrigues (Dalby 66), Cissoko (Gale 66); Burstow (McAtee 76). Substitutes: Harrington, Dalby, Gale, Christie.
Booked: None
Bradford City: Walker; Baldwin, J Wright (Powell 61), Tilt (T Wright HT); Neufville, Metcalfe (Lapslie 61), Power, Touray; Sarcevic, Pointon (Humphreys 61); Jackson. Substitutes: Hilton, Swan, Pennington.
Booked: Baldwin
Referee: Thomas Kirk
Attendance: 22,381 (2,157)